ARTHUR ABRAHAM vs. CARL FROCH SET FOR OCT. 2 IN MONACO
Pivotal Group Stage 3 Bout Lands On Neutral Ground
In Coastal Principality Boarding France
NEW YORK (July 15, 2010)–Following weeks of intense negotiations, SHOWTIME Sports® is proud to announce that Hennessy Sports and Sauerland Event—the promotional outlets for world-class super middleweight boxers Carl Froch and Arthur Abraham—have agreed to a location for their fighters’ crucial Super Six World Boxing Classic bout.
On Saturday, Oct. 2, in the capital city/state of Monaco, Abraham and Froch will meet at the Chapiteau de l’Espace Fontvieille for their pivotal Group Stage 3 match up in the boxing tournament that has ignited the industry. The bout will be televised on SHOWTIME® at 9 p.m. ET/PT (same day delay).
Hennessy Sports and Sauerland Event are currently working with Principality officials in Monaco to finalize all the necessary authorizations for this event as they expect it to be one of the biggest fights in the history of the region. The Principality of Monaco is situated on the Mediterranean Sea in the south west area of Europe, some 1,400 km from Abraham’s home in Berlin and over 1,000 km from Froch’s native Nottingham, England.
“The intensity of the selection process for this venue speaks to the enormity of the moment created by the Super Six World Boxing Classic,” said Ken Hershman, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “All the fighters in the tournament have set out to prove that they are the world’s best at 168-pounds by fighting their peers—the most dangerous men in the division—fight after fight. Any perceived advantage or disadvantage has been calculated.
“To the credit of all involved, each hurdle has been cleared and the Super Six World Boxing Classic now marches on toward a thrilling conclusion.”
This bout is the last of the Super Six Group Stage matches. Following Abraham vs. Froch, the four fighters with the highest point totals on the Super Six scoreboard will advance to the semi-finals, tentatively slated for the first quarter 2011.
Froch (26-1, 20 KOs) is coming off a hard-fought unanimous decision loss, the first of his career, to Mikkel Kessler on April 24. That night, during the post-fight press conference, Wilfried, and his son Kalle Sauerland and Mick Hennessy began publicly disputing the venue selection for the Abraham vs. Froch contest. At the time, Abraham (31-1, 25 KOs) held the tournament lead with three points by virtue of his KO win over Jermain Taylor in Group Stage 1, but was out boxed and ultimately disqualified in his Group Stage 2 bout versus Andre Dirrell for the first loss of his career. Froch remains tied at the moment with Kessler and Dirrell at two points.
“I cannot wait to get back in the ring,” said Abraham. “I am thrilled that the date and the venue have been set. I must admit that the disqualification against Dirrell still haunts me. Only a victory over Froch can put my mind at rest. I was ringside when he fought against Kessler and I must say I was impressed with both men. They really fought their hearts out. Froch is a hell of a fighter, but so am I. This will be the biggest, the most important fight of my career, and I will put on a special performance to please the boxing fans in Monaco, France, Germany, England, America and all over the world.”
“I’m training hard already for ‘King’ Arthur,” said Froch from his training center in Sheffield. “I respect what the man brings to the table, but I’m going out there to knock Abraham’s crown right into Kalle’s lap,” he added in response to Sauerland’s bold predictions on the outcome of this fight.
“Make no mistake about it, I fully appreciate the threat that Abraham presents to me in this fight. Whenever two warriors go into battle there will be bloodshed. But there will be only one victor in Monaco and that will be The Cobra,” Froch concluded.
The Sauerlands are filled with anticipation. “The Super Six tournament has been outstanding thus far,” said Kalle. “We’ve had so much drama and so many high-class fights. Kessler versus Froch was as good as it gets but believe me, Abraham-Froch will be even better. It’s win or go home! I honestly can’t see this going the distance. I have a lot of respect for Froch as a fighter but I think that his style is tailor-made for Abraham. The King will knock The Cobra out – no doubt about that. The only question is in which round.”
Hennessy also expects a toe-to-toe war and believes the Englishman will come out victorious inside the distance “This is a mouth-watering match up against two of the best and toughest fighters in the game,” Hennessy said. “If you thought Carl’s last fight against Kessler was epic just wait for Froch vs. Abraham. This has all of the ingredients to be the fight of the decade.
“I have a lot of respect for Arthur in and outside of the ring, but unfortunately on the 2nd October he will come up against a highly driven and fully motivated Carl Froch. When Carl’s is in that sort of mode he will prove he is the best of the best and will secure three points for a knockout win, showing the world once again that he is a very special fighter.”
The Super Six World Boxing Classic continues on Saturday, Sept. 25, when SHOWTIME will present a world championship doubleheader to kick off Group Stage 3—the final Group Stage of the round-robin portion of the tournament. First, Kessler will look to lock up a semi-final berth with a win over Allan Green. Kessler is making the first defense of his second world title, the WBC 168-pound strap he wrested from Carl Froch. Green is desperate for a win to have a shot at the semi finals. He may need a knockout and/or help from his fellow competitors to earn one of the four spots.
Immediately following, live on SHOWTIME, Andre Ward will face 2004 U.S. Olympic teammate and friend Andre Dirrell in what promises to be a dramatic affair. Ward has already locked up his semi-final berth as the only contestant to win both of his initial Group Stage matches. But, make no mistake, Ward promises a fierce defense of his WBA world championship belt and undefeated professional record. Dirrell, on the other hand, needs a win to guarantee his place in the semis. Conceivably, Dirrell could get in with two points but he would need help from Green and/or Abraham.
SUPER SIX WORLD BOXING CLASSIC SCOREBOARD (Through Group Stage 2)
Record Fighter Points
2-0 Andre Ward 4
1-1 Arthur Abraham 3
1-1 Mikkel Kessler 2
1-1 Carl Froch 2
1-1 Andre Dirrell 2
0-1 Allan Green 0
ABOUT SUPER SIX WORLD BOXING CLASSIC
The inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic is a ground-breaking, six-fighter tournament from SHOWTIME Sports® featuring the class of the super middleweight (168-pound) division from around the world. All bouts in the Super Six tournament will be contested under the Unified Rules of Boxing. Each boxer fights three bouts against different opponents in the field in the points-based Group Stage of competition (Win – 2 pts with a 1-pt bonus for KO/TKO; Loss – 0 pts; Draw – 1 pt.). After the Group Stage, the four fighters with the highest point totals will advance to the single-elimination Semi-Finals. The winners of the Semi-Final bouts will advance to the Finals and fight for the inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic Cup.
About Showtime Networks Inc.
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD™, SHOWTIME 2 HD™, THE MOVIE CHANNEL HD™, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL ON DEMAND™ and FLIX ON DEMAND®. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks™, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution which recently launched SMITHSONIAN CHANNEL™. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.
Wilfried Sauerland: No verbal agreement on Abraham-Froch venue
Wilfried Sauerland has rebuffed Mick Hennessy´s claims about a potential verbal agreement on the venue for the decisive Super Six World Boxing Classic showdown between King Arthur Abraham and Carl Froch.
A great round, but Froch was subpar
By Bart Barry
“Don’t be afraid of the player with a good grip and a bad swing. Don’t be afraid of a player with a bad grip and a good swing. The player to beware of is the one with the bad grip and the bad swing. If he’s reached your level, he has grooved his faults and knows how to score.” – Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book
That comes from a short but sage hardback of golf instruction. Harvey Penick was a Texas club pro who taught hall of famers Ben Crenshaw, Tom Kite and Betsy Rawls how to play. There are more than a few parallels between golf and boxing, and Penick’s warning is one that pertains well to Carl Froch. Beware the world champion who delivers punches awkwardly as he stands; if he’s got to this level, he’s somehow better than he looks.
Saturday, though, Froch wasn’t quite good enough.
In an outstanding fight broadcast from Denmark as part of Showtime’s “Super Six” tournament, and in defiance of an Icelandic volcano, Mikkel Kessler took Carl Froch’s WBC super middleweight title by unanimous decision. The official result was fair if imbalanced. Judge Guido Cavalleri’s 115-113 card was right. The others – 116-112 and 117-111 – were progressively less so.
My card did not concur with the official result. I had it 116-114 for Froch, to whom I awarded rounds 1, 4, 5, 9, 10 and 11. I gave Kessler rounds 2, 6, 7 and 8. I had rounds 3 and 12 even. But if you gave the rounds that were close enough to be even to Kessler, my card was a draw. If you gave Kessler the first round, too, my card was the same as Cavalleri’s. I’ll not file any protests.
Nor will Carl Froch. That’s both troubling and reassuring. The former WBC champ was yielding in his post-fight interview, conceding that he’d not “put it on (Kessler) more,” that he’d “sat back a little bit,” and that he might have been tardy in “biting down on (his) gumshield.” It did not escape Froch that, after the fifth round, it was his fight if he wanted it badly enough.
Froch’s post-fight demeanor also reassured, though, because of the dignity he showed in defeat. It was not a challenge to Froch’s class to fear what might be uttered by an expressively proud man who’d just lost his title in a close fight on foreign soil. Or, for the Yanks in attendance: Does anyone think Floyd Mayweather will react so temperately if his first loss happens that way Saturday night?
Froch was not stunned by losing to Mikkel Kessler. It seems Kessler was the man Froch had circled in his mind as one who might be worthy of vanquishing him. Froch may have seen that Kessler was “quite conclusively outboxed” by Andre Ward, but he didn’t absorb it. He didn’t infer the possibility Kessler was not the same man he’d been a couple years ago.
Because Kessler is not that guy any more. He is no longer the agent of a classic 1-2 that battered Librado Andrade in 2007. As noticed immediately by Antonio Tarver – a fantastic new commentator, by the way – Kessler no longer blasts you with his 2, a straight right cross. Now it’s alternately looped and pushed. Among Kessler’s best punches Saturday was a right hand in round 7 that landed to the back of Froch’s head. Froch is awkward, yes, but a prime Kessler never floated his right elbow enough to hit someone there.
Unsurprisingly, Kessler’s power has gone with his form. His most effective punches Saturday were the ones Froch ran into. Kessler won on determination and hustle. He outworked Froch. He did not outhit him. Kessler used Froch’s momentum to supply his power, the sort of power Kessler once had from a standing start.
There are no standing starts for Froch. So here comes another golf analogy. Carl Froch throws right crosses the way Gary Player used to hit fairway woods. He crosses over. Froch commits all of his weight, all of his person, to the right hand. He starts in an orthodox stance and finishes as a southpaw. If he doesn’t hit you with the right cross, he fires a left hand while correcting his stance, then tries the cross-over right again. It’s combination punching in its most awkward sense and hardly what you’d teach a beginner.
How the hell does it work, then? Partially because it’s planned, partially because Froch believes in it, and partially because combination punching – however it’s accomplished – is never a bad thing. Froch’s stellar run as an amateur makes him the embodiment of Penick’s warning: He has a bad grip and a bad swing, but he’s grooved it. He knows how to score.
He also knows a way to keep you from scoring. How does he barge into a puncher like Kessler’s wheelhouse, arms dangling at his sides, and keep from getting beheaded? The secret is in the dangling. After he tags you with his cross-over right, Froch’s entire body goes limp. Anything but a direct hit, like Kessler’s in round 8, gets harmlessly absorbed by Froch’s body. It’s like punching a sponge.
Still, a little more overall tension from Froch after round 5 likely would have won him the fight. He knocked Kessler backwards with a right hand in the final minute of the fifth. Then he held his glove up and showed it to the Danes, without deigning to press his advantage. He should know better next time.
What happened Saturday made a great tournament better. Kessler-Froch was the best fight of the “Super Six” thus far. And round 12 was the best three minutes in prizefighting’s first third of 2010. What’s next? Kessler may get stretched by Allan Green, the quirky Oklahoma slugger, or he might not. And Froch against Arthur Abraham? No earthly idea.
But know this: “Super Six” will continue to surprise and satisfy.
Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter.com/bartbarry
Kessler wins Super Middle crown in barnburner with Froch
Mikkel Kessler won the WBC Super Middleweight championship and muddled up the Super Six World Boxing Classic standings as he took a twelve round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Carl Froch at the MCH Arena in Herning, Denmark.
The fight was a boxing match early as Kessler tired to establish his jab by coming forward in an effort to make an imprint on the awkward style of Froch. Froch’s punch of choice was the right hand and he landed several of them early including a thudding right in round four. Froch had a solid round five as he was dominant with the right hand as he landed at least three good ones in that frame. The punches were starting to show their effect as blood appeared on the face of Kessler in the sixth round.
The fight turned in round eight as Kessler landed his own right hands and staggered Froch with a big shot. That punch caused bleeding on the bridge of Froch’s nose. Kessler landed some nice counter shots over the next few rounds with Froch landing hard looping rights but one at a time. Kessler opened up round eleven with a nice three punch combination. Froch answered that with a nig right of his own. The fight picked up in that round as Kessler would gain some advantage by landing a big right/left hand combination. Round twelve was frenetic as both fighters went for it as they put everything on the line as they stood at war toe to toe. They both landed huge shots and rocked each other in desperation, Froch to keep his title and Kessler fighting to still be a factor in the Super Six Classic. These two great champions fought hard and with the class right until the final bell with back and forth action.
Kessler, 167 lbs of Copenhagen, Denmark became a three-time champion as he won by scores of 117-111, 116-112 and 115-113 to raise his impressive mark to 43-2.
Froch, 167 1/4 lbs of Nottingham, England loses for the first time and is 26-1
Weights from Herning, Denmark
Super Six World Boxing Classic, Second Round:
Carl Froch (WBC Champion) – 75.9 kg
Mikkel Kessler (Challenger) – 75.8 kg
ANDRE WARD, ANDRE DIRRELL AND ARTHUR ABRAHAM PICK MIKKEL KESSLER TO WIN GROUP STAGE 2 BOUT; ALLAN GREEN PICKS CARL FROCH
Group Stage 2 Fight This Saturday, April 24,
On SHOWTIME® at 9 P.M. ET/PT
NEW YORK (April 22, 2010) –- The four entrants not fighting this weekend have weighed in with predictions for this weekend’s Super Six World Boxing Classic Group Stage 2 matchup between undefeated WBC Super Middleweight Champion Carl Froch (26-0, 20 KOs) and Mikkel Kessler (42-2, 32 KOs). Andre Ward, Andre Dirrell, and Arthur Abraham predict a victory for the hometown fighter, Kessler while Allan Green sees the win going to Froch. The fight will air this Saturday, April 24, from the sold-out MCH Arena, in Herning, Denmark, on SHOWTIME® at 9 p.m. ET/PT (same-day coverage).
Entering the second of three Group Stage 2 matches in the Super Six World Boxing Classic on SHOWTIME, hometown fighters are 4-0 in the tournament. Froch, who is in a three-way tie for second place with two points, can overtake Abraham for the top spot on the tournament scoreboard with a “W”. Kessler, who has zero points, is desperate for a win and to keep his chances alive in the tournament.
Ward picks Kessler for several reasons. Said Ward, “(Mikkel Kessler) is too skillful, too polished and has too many tools in the toolkit for Carl Froch to overcome. He’s very motivated coming off his loss to me, and has the chance to regain a world title with a win over Froch. He has a new trainer and seems refreshed and rejuvenated and has proven in the past that he can come back after being defeated to win a world championship. Froch is a tough customer and will give everything he has. It will definitely be a tough match-up for Kessler, but at the end of the night Mikkel Kessler will get his hand raised.’’
Green said, “I’m going with Froch. I think he is more confident right now. I think Kessler may be a tad bit quicker, but I think Froch is slicker and he has more options so he will win this fight.’’
Germany’s Abraham, the tournament leader with 3 points, envisions a tough, exciting, make-or-break fight for Kessler. “I think Kessler will win,’’ Abraham said. “This basically is his last chance. His career and his future – at least in the Super Six – are on the line. It would be a huge surprise if someone of his class would be eliminated that early. As my teammate, I do, of course hope he will beat Froch – although it will be a very tough and exciting fight. All Super Six fighters are very strong, so I look forward to an exciting evening in Herning.”
Dirrell expects an extremely tight fight. Said Dirrell, “Mikkel Kessler will win by majority decision. He’s a very smart boxer with great ability. Despite his loss to Ward, he has had a lot of success against Europeans and that will be the case again in his fight with Froch.’’
SUPER SIX WORLD BOXING CLASSIC SCOREBOARD
Record Fighter Points
1-1 Arthur Abraham 3
1-0 Carl Froch 2
1-0 Andre Ward 2
1-1 Andre Dirrell 2
0-1 Mikkel Kessler 0
0-0 Allan Green 0
For information on all SHOWTIME Sports telecasts, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries from its events and complete information on the Super Six World Boxing Classic, please visit the website at http://www.sports.sho.com
ABOUT SUPER SIX WORLD BOXING CLASSIC
The inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic is a ground-breaking, six-fighter tournament from SHOWTIME Sports® featuring the class of the super middleweight (168-pound) division from around the world. All bouts in the Super Six tournament will be contested under the Unified Rules of Boxing. Each boxer fights three bouts against different opponents in the field in the points-based Group Stage of competition (Win – 2 pts with a 1-pt bonus for KO/TKO; Loss – 0 pts; Draw – 1 pt.). After the Group Stage, the four fighters with the highest point totals will advance to the single-elimination Semi-Finals. The winners of the Semi-Final bouts will advance to the Finals and fight for the inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic trophy.
About Showtime Networks Inc.
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.
Froch to arrive by private jet on Tuesday – Kessler: “I will knock him out
Team Sauerland, Hennessy Sports and SHOWTIME Sports are proud to announce that WBC Super-Middleweight Champion Carl Froch will be flown into either North Germany or Denmark with a private jet on Tuesday afternoon. The undefeated 32-year-old missed today´s public work-out in Herning after the Iceland Volcano had KOed his original travel plans.
WBC CHAMP CARL FROCH & FORMER WBA CHAMP MIKKEL KESSLER MEDIA TELECONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
Super Six World Boxing Classic competitors Carl Froch and Mikkel Kessler along with their promoters Mick Hennessy and Kalle Sauerland participated in an international media conference call to discuss their crucial Group Stage 2 bout in the tournament on Saturday, April 24 on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m., ET/PT, same-day delay) from MCH Arena, in Herning, Denmark.
After one round in the tournament, Froch (26-0, 20 KOs) has two points, while Kessler (42-2, 32 KOs), who has never lost a fight in his hometown of Denmark, needs a victory to get on the board.
The Super Six World Boxing Classic bout will be co-promoted by Hennessy Sports and Sauerland Event.
CALL HIGHLIGHTS:
Carl Froch:
“It’s good to fight a proud man like Mikkel Kessler. It’s a great opportunity for me. I’m already very established on a world-class level so I don’t have much to prove. I’ve beaten Jean Pascal, Jermain Taylor and then Andre Dirrell, and we all saw what Dirrell did to Arthur Abraham. I think I’m already established as a world-class fighter so I don’t have to give myself any accolades. It’s already there. I just have to deal with Mikkel Kessler, cement my super stardom and do what I have to do on April 24, cement my lead in the Super Six World Boxing Classic, which is a fantastic tournament and I’m proud to be a part of it.
“You have six super elite fighters in this tournament and so far all the fights have been pretty close, and in some you could not even pick a winner. None of the results have totally shocked me to be honest. I can take the lead in this but Andre Ward still has another fight. I think (Allan) Green can win that fight. He’s obviously got the punching power. But I’ve obviously got the ability to be a front-runner in this tournament.
“We’re both two proud athletes at the top of our game and we know what’s on the line here, so one thing is for sure, you’re not going to get any cheap talk from either of us. And I think Mikkel will back me up on that.”
Can you get motivated to fight a guy that you generally seem to like?
“Of course. I’ve boxed friends before. I boxed a guy named Damon Hague (in 2004) for the British title and I almost decapitated him in the first round and I won the fight with a knockout. One week later I was at his house having dinner with him so that’s not going to be a problem, I can assure you.
What makes you a better boxer than Mikkel Kessler?
“Stronger, quicker, a champion, undefeated, taller, more elusive. That’s it. There’s your answer.
“I don’t feel like I need the knockout. I don’t need to look for the knockout. I’m a big puncher. If the knockout comes it comes, but I don’t feel like I need a knockout to win. I’m the WBC champion. It’s an honorable title and an honorable governing body and I don’t go into any fight expecting to have to knock someone out.
“I don’t think you can really put a finger on a puncher’s power. It’s just something you’re born with like a good chin. There obviously are some technical issues going on. I’ve got little chicken legs and a very big back so I have to land my punches accurately and correctly and with a lot of force behind them. My dad was strong and my granddad was very strong. I think it was just past down through the genes.
“I really don’t need the fan support. It’s obviously a great feeling to have people follow you all around the world to watch you fight, but at the end of the day when the bell goes you don’t hear too much anyway. You’re just so concentrated on your opponent. If the crowd is cheering against me that is fine. The Danes that I have met have been great so I’m not expecting any kind of animosity at all.
“This fight has nothing to do with Dirrell and everything to do with Kessler. The fight with Dirrell was close because Dirrell didn’t want the fight. He was running and holding and he got points deducted because of it. He was bitching and moaning and looking to the referee for help against Abraham. That my fight with him was close is totally irrelevant because we both spent the whole fight running around the ring trying to make the fight happen. It was an unfortunate set of circumstance what happened to Arthur Abraham. I don’t think Arthur knew what had happened and accidentally punched him in the face when he was on the floor not realizing he was down. That’s my opinion. Arthur Abraham is an honorable man in my opinion and not a cheat. But that’s just my opinion and everyone has their own opinion of it. But that’s got nothing to do with myself or Mikkel Kessler.”
Did you get used to having the SHOWTIME guys around during the filming of Fight Camp 360?
“It’s not I like it or dislike it. The guys who do it are perfect gentleman, they really are. And they don’t do anything without asking you first. I let them come into the house and I let them come over to the hotel. The SHOWTIME crew are all gentlemen and I have to say I quite enjoy it. I can’t say I’d do it next week, but I don’t mind doing it. They’re just so professional. You get a little bit about the other fighters watching it, but it’s not what these guys do out of the ring that’s important but what they do in the ring.
I don’t really draw too much from it, but it is compelling viewing.
“Mikkel Kessler doesn’t run around the ring. I do expect fireworks and I know Kalle reckons there will be fireworks. Mikkel Kessler is going to have to box and move and keep out of the way. If he does that I might even try to jab and move. Styles make fights and I think it’s going to be an all-out fight. It’s going to be a totally different fight than I had with Andre Dirrell.
“My undefeated record means everything to me. Some people look at knockout ratios but I fight to win. An unblemished record is very important to me.”
Mikkel Kessler:
“It’s a big opportunity to be fighting for a world title again. You know, I had to go back to boxing school after my last fight. I’m so happy to be in this tournament with another chance to show all my boxing fans that I am the best.
“I learned from my mistakes after the Ward fight. I learned I made mistakes outside the ring. I had to pick my sparring partners better three or four weeks out of the fight. I just feel I’m better than ever now. I’m ready to fight this fight, I really can’t wait.
“In the Ward fight I was really afraid of getting disqualified, like you saw with Abraham in his last fight. I was just very afraid if I was going to head-butt him or hit him with an elbow so I was a little bit tentative in that fight, but I will never be that again.
“Of course there were a lot of mistakes in my last might. I feel like a new fighter. I hope Carl is ready because I’ve trained very hard the last three months. I’m in my best shape ever and I’m ready to fight.
“I don’t like to talk about money. But, when I’m the ring, I’d rather have a belt than no money.
“I have to change a lot of tactics, of course, but I can’t reveal that right now.
“It’s nice not to be the favorite in this tournament. Like Kalle said, I’m like a young warrior again. And I’m super hungry again. I’m very hungry. I’m back and I’m very sharp at this time. I made my mistake and I just want to get back up and show all my boxing fans from around the world that I am the best super middleweight in the world.”
Mick Hennessey:
“I hope Carl starts to get the accolades he deserves. We’ve got some great fighters over here in the UK but Carl is by far the best of them. And the most complete package, as well. (Carl) can box, he can fight, he’s got a great chin, he’s got a massive heart and he can knock you out with either hand. There are always questions from the world’s media, but he has answered them time and time again. And I would like to finally see him get the credit that he deserves. These two are both warriors and we know this is going to be a great night of boxing.”
Kalle Sauerland:
“This will be the biggest fight ever in Denmark. We had 26,000 tickets and we were completely sold out of our allocation of tickets in about three hours. We think we may get about 1,000 back to be put on sale so there may actually still be a chance for people to see this fight live.
“It’s beyond anything we’ve ever seen. It’s beyond the Tyson-(Brian) Nielsen fight that was here (in 2001). I think it may go down as one of the top five moments in sports history in Denmark.
“Carl has set this up quite nicely for us. He is undefeated and we are now the underdogs and we like being that. Mikkel is like a young hungry warrior again. We’re not going to be doing too much talking but there really are going to be fireworks when these two come together.
“We are not doing a lot of talking on this call as you can see. We will do all the talking in the ring. We are just supremely confident.”
JEFFRIES BEATS DEGALE AND FROCH
TONY JEFFRIES got one up on potential rivals James Degale and Carl Froch when he won the Lonsdale Challenge in Nottingham.
The challenge involved the three boxers taking part in a variety of exercises against the clock to see who could register the most repetitions.
It was held to mark Lonsdale’s 50 year anniversary which has seen the sporting brand associated with some of boxing’s greatest ever fighters including Muhammad Ali, Joe Calzaghe and Henry Cooper.
Jeffries was pitted against the clock to see how many of each exercise he could register in a 30 second time period.
He left his rivals toiling with 104 punches thrown, 53 tuck jumps and 44 sit ups as Olympic Gold medallist Degale and WBC super middleweight champion Froch found ‘The Mighty Mackem’ too hot to handle.
“It was great fun and I’m happy with my totals,” explained Olympic Bronze medallist Jeffries.
“It was good to see both James and Carl as I get on well with both of them. We had a laugh when we did it as well.
“It was only for 30 seconds but it was tough because it was flat out the whole time!
“I don’t think anyone expected me to win because I was the underdog.James is an Olympic champion and Carl is a world champion so I’m happy to come out on top.”
Jeffries returns on the undercard of Rendall Munroe’s WBC super-bantamweight title eliminator against Victor Terrazas at Coventry Skydome on April 23 and is itching to get back in action following an injury lay-off.
He said: “I can’t wait to get back in there. Training has gone really really well and I’m just focused on putting in a good performance in April.”
Tickets for the Coventry show are on sale, prices £30, £50 and £70 by logging onto www.frankmaloney.com or by calling 0871 226 1508. Boxers on the bill will also be selling tickets.
Peter Schmeichel excited about Kessler-Froch showdown
COPENHAGEN (March 19, 2010) – Manchester United goalkeeping legend Peter Schmeichel cannot wait for April 24. That is when fellow Dane Mikkel Kessler will challenge WBC Super-Middleweight Champion Carl Froch in the second round of the Super Six World Boxing Classic in Herning, Denmark. Ever since hanging up his boots, Schmeichel has continued his success off the pitch in front of the camera, working as a popular TV host for Danish pay TV giant Viasat. Today the broadcast program for the Kessler-Froch fight was officially presented at Mikkel Kessler´s gym in Copenhagen
MAMMA Online News- What Does Alvarez vs Huerta in Philly Mean to Philly? (Part 2) September 1, 2010Yesterday I talked about why this October’s Bellator is different from other shows going on down here in Philly. Today I’m going to talk about the challenge in promoting this show. As we mentioned yesterday, Eddie Alvarez will fight in Philly for the first time in October against Roger Huerta. This fight could mark the [...] No related posts. […]Paul Miles
- What Does Alvarez vs Huerta in Philly Mean to Philly? August 31, 2010I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about the quality of fight cards in the Philly/Atlantic City game recently and for some reason I’ve had an impossible time expressing in words my thoughts. Some of that is because the path of least resistance in that sort of post would stomp on toes of promoters [...] No related posts. […]Paul Miles
- Its Official: Alvarez vs Huerta Goes Down in Philly August 30, 2010After weeks of speculation, MMA Junkie has confirmed that Bellator 33 will happen in Philadelphia. The hot mustard on that awesome sandwich is the main event: Philadelphia’s own Eddie Alvarez faces internet sensation, and notorious football hater Roger Huerta in a three round non-title fight. Expect some familiar faces on the undercard. Bellator has traditio […]Paul Miles
- “Rematch” is the Word of the Day for December Locked in the Cage August 28, 2010I spoke with Fran Evans of Locked in the Cage, and he confirmed for me that Bo Coleman and Brian Jackson will get a do-over from their aborted main event from August 21st. This time the dance is at the National Guard Armory in Philadelphia on December 3rd for Locked in the Cage 6. Fran [...] Related posts:Unusual End to Good Night of Fights for Locked in t […]Paul Miles
- Brendan Barrett & Randy Smith Cold War About to Go Nuclear August 28, 2010For months the war of words between IFL and ROC veteran Brendan Barrett and Randy Smith finally has a venue to be turned physical. Lou Neglia and Brendan both confirmed yesterday that Barrett/Smith will finally go down at Ring of Combat 32 at the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. The first volley of this battle [...] Related posts:Another Interview with Brendan […]Paul Miles
- What Does Alvarez vs Huerta in Philly Mean to Philly? (Part 2) September 1, 2010
- ESPN News
- Zab Judah-Lucas Matthysse fight in the works for November at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. September 2, 2010Zab Judah has not fought on HBO in more than two years, but that could change if plans in the works are finalized. […]Dan Rafael
- Juan Manuel Marquez has deal to fight Michael Katsidis September 2, 2010Lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez has agreed to fight Michael Katsidis at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas on Nov. 27. […]Associated Press
- Manny Pacquiao: Antonio Margarito knew what was in hand wraps September 2, 2010Manny Pacquiao says he wants a representative observing Antonio Margarito's hand wraps before their meeting in Texas. […]Associated Press
- Antonio Margarito was licensed to box by Texas regulators September 2, 2010Disgraced former welterweight titlist Antonio Margarito was licensed to box by Texas regulators on Thursday, paving the way for him to meet pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao for a vacant junior middleweight belt. […]Dan Rafael
- Backpack of Bob Arum's son John Arum found by search party September 2, 2010Searchers in the rugged North Cascades have found a backpack belonging to the son of Hall of Fame boxing promoter Bob Arum, but they are still looking for the missing climber. […]ESPN.com news services
- Manny Pacquiao on a Floyd Mayweather Jr. bout: 'He needs me' September 1, 2010Manny Pacquiao and his trainer Freddie Roach said Wednesday that they agreed to every demand put forward by Floyd Mayweather for what could have been the richest fight in boxing history. […]Associated Press
- Fana regains IBF junior lightweight title September 1, 2010Mzonke Fana has earned an impressive unanimous decision over Cassius Baloyi to win the vacant IBF junior lightweight title in a matchup of South Africans. […]Associated Press
- Bernard Hopkins to fight light heavyweight champ Jean Pascal on Dec. 18 September 1, 2010Bernard Hopkins is slated to meet newly crowned light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal Dec. 18 in Quebec City, both sides told ESPN.com on Tuesday. […]Dan Rafael
- Antonio Tarver ready for heavyweight debut against Nagy Aguilera August 30, 2010Antonio Tarver will make his heavyweight debut Oct. 15 against Nagy Aguilera in a scheduled 10-rounder either in Memphis or Southern California. […]Dan Rafael
- Fight between Juan Manuel Lopez and Rafael Marquez rescheduled for Nov. 6 August 30, 2010The postponed fight between featherweight titlist Juan Manuel Lopez and former two-division champion Rafael Marquez has been rescheduled. […]Dan Rafael
- Zab Judah-Lucas Matthysse fight in the works for November at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. September 2, 2010
